Spirit Medical Transport deploys resources to support COVID-19 response

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GREENVILLE – Spirit Medical Transport, LLC, sent four ambulances and crew members from its Greenville and Liberty, Indiana, locations Thursday night to assist New York City Fire Department medics and firefighters.

Early Thursday afternoon, Global Medical Response mobilized a second deployment of American Medical Response crews and ambulances to New York City and has sent additional teams and vehicles to New Jersey in response to a Federal Emergency Management Agency request to help the federal government and local emergency personnel respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the second major deployment in less than two weeks.

On March 30, Global Medical Response deployed hundreds of EMS crews and ambulances to New York City in response to FEMA’s request. Those crews initially deployed are still assisting FDNY medics and firefighters in New York.

“This pandemic is devastating hundreds of communities, and our crews are answering the call to assist local emergency medical service providers in the hard-hit areas of New Jersey and New York,” Ted Van Horne, Global Medical Response chief operating officer, said. “It is heartbreaking to see how this virus is affecting over 1.5 million people globally. Our teams train year-round to help with crises, and now they are deploying to use their expertise to help patients in extreme need. They are dedicated to the patient who needs them.”

American Medical Response contracts with other EMS companies such as Spirit around the country to assist with such deployments. The crews began work under the guidance of FEMA, state and local governments when they arrived at their assigned area Friday night.

“We are proud we’ve been entrusted to provide care to the world at a moment’s notice during this unprecedented time,” said Brian K. Hathaway, president/CEO of Spirit Medical Transport. “Ohioans and Hoosiers alike are concerned about COVID-19 and want to join in the fight. Our primary focus remains on providing adequate resources at home during this crisis. We have carefully selected the personnel and resources to send and this deployment will in no way impact our ability to meet our community’s own needs.”

Global Medical Response’s Office of Emergency Management activated the company’s National Command Center in Dallas on Jan. 28 to monitor the spread of the virus closely and work with state and federal agencies to deploy teams for screenings, transports and evacuations. Global Medical Response’s medical leaders are working closely with the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization and departments of public health around the country.

“We continue to carefully monitor our crews – those who are part of the FEMA deployment and those who remain in their home communities – to ensure that they remain safe and healthy,” said Dr. Ed Racht, Global Medical Response chief medical officer.

“Our teams are seeing things they can’t prepare for, nobody can prepare for. As we have seen happen in other countries, caring for patients with this virus also takes a terrible toll on the caregivers. We want to do everything we can to help them with physical and mental wellbeing as they are helping people suffering from COVID-19.”

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